China’s Shocking Infrastructure Fail: Underwater Tunnel Floods in 15 Days After It Opened

① The Underwater Tunnel That Was Supposed to Last 100 Years

Following the subway, An automobile underwater tunnel opened in Dalian, China. Dalian is a gateway port city in the Northeastern Three Provinces of Jilin, Liaoning, and Heilongjiang in China. A 7.5-mile round-trip six-lane main road connecting Zhongshan District and Ganjingzi District in Dalian was opened in May.

The road connecting the tunnel will connect the north and south coasts of Dalian Bay. It has had a positive impact on reducing traffic congestion and expanding the urban development space of Dalian.

Among them, a 3.17-mile section is an underwater tunnel that penetrates the seabed of Dalian Bay, designed for a speed of 37 mph. The tunnel which was completed four years after construction began drew more attention as it was the first underwater tunnel to open in northern China.

At the time, local Chinese media reported that advanced excavation techniques were applied to ensure durability that could withstand 100 years. The deputy engineer of Dalian Bay Underwater Tunnel Co., Ltd. said, “We have overcome challenges such as complex terrain conditions, construction risks, and technical difficulties during tunnel construction. We have successfully converted to domestic large equipment, key parts, and control software production.”

In March, Dalian opened the Subway Line 5, with an underwater tunnel making up 14.29 miles of the total length. It took six years to open after investing about 32.5 billion dollars. The opening of the underwater subway route was the first in the northeastern region of China.

With the opening of Dalian’s underwater tunnel, locals anticipated that the world’s longest underwater tunnel could be fully promoted.

② Flooded Only 15 Days After Opening

Although the underwater tunnel in Dalian China was said to last for 100 years and was heavily promoted at the time of opening, the reality was different. The underwater tunnel in Dalian turned into a sea of water just two weeks later. The first report of water accumulating at the bottom of the tunnel was received at 8:32 a.m. Subsequently, a video of water starting to fill the inside of the tunnel was posted on China’s social media Weibo.

The situation was severe enough to hinder vehicle traffic at the time. As time passed, more and more water accumulated in the tunnel. Eventually, water poured out from the tunnel ceiling, and the cars turned on their emergency flashers and drove slowly.

Water even started to leak from the side of the tunnel, and drivers reversed their cars to escape from the tunnel. The underwater tunnel operator dispatched emergency repair personnel and carried out repair work after receiving the report. The repair work was completed in about two hours.

The operator stated, “Water has accumulated in some parts of the tunnel, but the emergency repair work was completed around 10 a.m. and it is operating normally.” Dalian Public Security Bureau stated that there was no problem with the tunnel itself, and the water leaked from the fire valve. They emphasized that it has nothing to do with the underwater tunnel.

However, the situation of the Dalian underwater tunnel at the time was already shared on Weibo, and netizens questioned its safety. Drivers who entered the underwater tunnel at the time said it could have been a dangerous situation. Despite the water pouring out, they expressed dissatisfaction with the response that there was no problem with stability.

The situation of the underwater tunnel, which was flooded only 15 days after opening, was enough to raise questions.

③ China-Made Hydroelectric Power Plant on the Verge of Collapse

China’s lack of technology has also been controversial recently. A hydroelectric power plant built by a Chinese company in Ecuador is on the verge of collapse, not even ten years after its construction. In January, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that China’s lack of technology is causing problems locally. Pakistan, Uganda, and Ecuador are representatives.

The hydroelectric power plant in Ecuador was the largest construction project since its founding. Ecuador borrowed 85% of the construction cost of about 27.5 billion dollars from the China Development Bank at an interest rate of 6.9% to build a hydroelectric power plant. Chinese state-owned companies sent hundreds of Chinese workers to Ecuador. It took six years to complete, but problems were discovered immediately after completion.

Thousands of cracks were found in the dam, and 17,000 cracks were found in the eight iron turbines installed in the hydroelectric power plant. The Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric power plant is in a situation where normal operation is impossible. Ecuador insisted that all these defects should be resolved before operating the power plant, citing problems with the quality of Chinese steel.

China attempted to repair the crack problem, but all attempts failed. The Ecuadorian prosecutor’s office has investigated the former regime that built the dam and received loans from China.

Rafael Correa, the former president who pushed for the construction of the hydroelectric power plant, introduced about 184.5 billion dollars in loans from China during his 17-year term. He has also been indicted on corruption charges but has fled to Belgium.

By. Eu Deum Kwon